Sullivan’s recent analysis, Global Outlook for Chemicals in the Plastics and Composites, CASE, and Construction Industries, 2020, finds that the market of coatings, adhesives, sealants, and elastomers (CASE), plastics and composites, and construction chemicals will be driven by new supply chain optimization concepts, digital transformation, and circularity in products, processes, and packaging. Under the conditions of COVID-19, the global chemicals and materials market is expected to reach $3,716.5 billion by the end of 2020.

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“Despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic across industries, the demand for modular building materials and advanced admixtures will propel the construction chemicals segment,” said Christeena Thomas, Chemicals, Materials & Nutrition Industry Analyst at Frost & Sullivan. “Additionally, increasing demand for lightweighting of parts, especially in the automotive and transportation industry, will trigger growth in the plastics and composites segment, whereas sustainability and bio-based chemicals and materials will strongly boost the need for research and development in the CASE industry.”

Thomas added: “Regionally, with increasing urbanization, large population, and a drive for local production by governments—Asia Pacific is likely to become a growth engine for the global chemicals and materials industry. Further, India will register the highest growth due to rising investments in building and construction, infrastructure, and healthcare sector.”

In China, the chemicals and materials industry is in a state of rapid transition. Manufacturers are expected to focus more on products and services that reflect consumer demand trends. For North America and Europe, a host of uncertainties related to international trade, downturns in manufacturing and economic stability will result in slower growth.

For Middle East, the chemicals and materials industry will be driven by aggressive development of the travel and tourism industry that fuels construction and transportation demand.

To tap into opportunities exposed by the global chemicals and materials industry in this COVID-19 era, here are some growth prospects:

• Manufacturers and suppliers in the plastics and composites, CASE, and construction chemicals industries should invest in Big Data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), and natural language processing as this will lower costs and enhance productivity, ensuring quality.

• Building materials will witness a rise in the development and commercialization of bio-based or sustainable products due to which market participants in the chemicals and materials industry should focus on producing recyclable materials.

• Digital transformation will allowchemicals-as-a-service offerings to customers.

• The trade war between the U.S and China is encouraging companies to strengthen their footprint in India and ASEAN countries as this will help them hedge their risks associated with trade involving China.